The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-12
STURGEON, PARKER, WESLEY
Notes of a Sunday with the Two Great
English Non-C0nformist Preachers.
The Contrast Between the Manner Of the
Men-JohE Wesley, His Chapel and Burial
Place-Encounter With Boston Woman.


Bridge. She bus depositing you at 1.-THE Elephant
and CASTLE is a section of the city known
"Newington Butts" On the right side,
near the inn named. of the stations
of the line the Surrey side of the
Thames, stands the splendid building, Spur
geon's Tabernacle. 1t is a massye-looking
structure, with the air of non-conforming
chapel setting back fifteen or twenty feet from
the street, and with small passage ways on either
side, which exits for the immense
throngs that crowd the building Inside, the
auditorium is elliptical in form, with two gall
leries, the pulpit platform jutting out from one
end like promontory, little above the level
of the first gallery, and far enough over the
lower floor to put the preacher at vantage
point for the entire audience, although many
must hear and not see though none and
can't hear The acoustics of the room are per-
feet Sunday morning at half-past 10 o'clock
found me in the yard of the great Tabernacle,
Mr. Spurgeon having returned from short a
cation and being announced to preach. Service
did not begin until L. but wanted to be early
enough TO see the audience gather. On going to
the main door policeman stopped me and told
me to get ticket Looking about. 1 found
eral gentlemen handing the comers-in what
proved to be small envelopes with printed in
vitation to inclose contribution, however
small This was the ticket" and, after seal
ing in your collection" ana depositing the en-
velope in box hanging against the wall, entrance
was permitted On each floor. against the walls,
are placed benches, upon which strangers take
their seats. In walking around toward the pull
pit platform, my friend and myself attracted the
attention of a lady sitting in the end of very
eligible pew. She beckoned to enter. and,
after were comfortably seated, handed US q
mar or he oil ip of wall
Orphanage that being followed by subscrip-
ton book I was glad enough to make a contri-
button to Mr. Surgeons pet charity. for there
by secured seat from which it would have
been quite possible to have shaken the preach
er's hand. Gradually the seats in the vast
hall began to fill up. The strangers benches
were crowded at early hour, the members of
the congregation, who had pews or sittings. be-
ing little more lesurely. AS the hands of the
clock neared the hour of IL, bell jingled in the
rear of the church, and then came movement
that filled the room with q bewildering hustle.
1t was the signal that seats were longer
served, and everybo rushed for the best va
cant one be had. When this tumult had SUBJ
sided, and pr ecisely at thee minute. a heavy,
almost ''podgy." man. beyond the middle but
still in the prime of life, came half hobbling
down a narrow aisle leading from a door in the
roar To tHs pulplI pIatIoru ne naG TO neip
himself with his hands, alternately, the top OF
the pews between which he passed. He walked
heavily and with apparent pain the result OF the
rheumatic govt, which has again disabled him,
and is liable TO end his active labors at any
time Mr.. Spurgeon is not an impressive-look-
ing He is hard to describe He is neither
tall short; but he is ''stocky,' and with full
beard and heavy features, hair rn-sandy |
and face quite full blooded. he appears typical
Englishman. At times, looked and listened, /
his face recalled somewhat that of the late
President Arthur; but Mr. Surgeons is
the broader, and not fine as Mr..
Arthurs was in the last years of |
his life. ana then Mr. Spurgeon lacks all the fig |
ure and grace that belonged to the dead execu-
tive. If one word were to be used to describe
all about Spurgeon. and his tabernacle and his
services, it would be simplicity. That is the
striking feature The building is solid and plain;
the preacher is solid and plaiI; the services are
solid and plain; the congregation is solid and
plain Mr.. Sturgeon is of the people. and tho
people for and with Mr.. Spurgeon. The
furniture the pulpit platform consists of
table, two chairs and divan, the table wooden
topped and the other articles upholstered in
green rep and altogether lookipg if purchased
years ago at a secondhand store, they
being the worse for wear at that time Mr..
Sturgeon will have no organ and no choir On
another platform, just beneath him, sit num-
Der of men, women and boys who take the lead
in the singing, and beside him stands the pre-
ceptor who starts the tune but baton
and does not 'beat time" with his book Mr..
Sturgeon expects the people to keep up, and
when they do not, he tells them OF it at the end
Of the verses He insists that everybody shall
sing, and to aid them he ''gives out" every verse;
and there We're from eight to nine verses in each
hymn sung have heard q good many men
read hymn ns-some who murdered them, and
others who read them, as then thought we'll.
But never heard hymn read until I heard |
Mr. Spurgeon do it. His voice is a high key,
but musical He does not strain it. but its tones |
reach to the furthest corner. and they are like
he tones of the flute their melodous modo-
lations and with a simple. earnest pathos that
makes music as he reads, and fairly forces one
% sing whether he wants to or no. This partic-
liar morning, so he came upon the plat
orm, Mr.. Spurgeon advanced to the railing, and
ca ming heavily upon his hands, and resting his
eet alternately, he offered devout prayer for
he service This attitude he maintained through
out. sometimes leaning upon and over the rail-
ng. and talking to his congregation one man
with another. The opening hymn was that Of
ITO thy temple I repair" and
hen followed the lesson. the forty ghth chap
er of Genesis. Upon each verse; suggestive
phrase, he based running comment, in itself |
ermon. and occupying full twenty minutes.
Then the main prayer follow ed, and then Ad-
ison's beautiful hymn, 'When all thy mercies,
h my God" If a preacher selects his hymns
rom such authors as Montgomery and Addison.
here will be no likelihood of the service being
uined by ridiculous trash, which is sometimes
lone, and of which the current hymn-books are
.toget her too full. The based on
wo verses of the chapter read-Jacobs blessing
o Joseph, and to Ephraim, and Manasseh. The
relude to the sermon q running sketch of
oseph's life, with the idea that peculiar trials
re followed or supplemented by peculiar bless